Crafty Quick Fix: Instant Ensemble

We all have those days... You wake up and realize you haven't a thing to wear, despite a closet bulging with clothes. I've developed a simple way to always have an outfit at the ready for any occasion, without the hassle of trying a dozen things on. Set aside a rainy afternoon, grab your digital camera (or better yet, a Polaroid!), and head straight to your closet! Start piecing together outfits you've worn in the past and have felt fabulous in. Snap a photograph or two of it. Be creative and be daring. Heck, it's only a photo!

The goal here is to create an album of pre-determined outfits you can turn to when you're fashionably at a loss. You can even jot down notes for each outfit, describing what type of occasion its appropriate for, what shoes to wear with it, and what accessories would dress the outfit up or dress it down for a casual event.

"Make it Work." - Tim Gunn, fashion guru

Take it a step further. Invite a best girlfriend over and see what combinations she fancies. She might see potential in that green silk blouse of yours you never had the courage to wear. Even ask your boyfriend or significant other what outfit they like best. Star that outfit in your album and remember to wear it on an anniversary or birthday!

Check out some of the outfits I've created for myself, mixing in some of the tips from Real Simple Magazine's Essentials of a Well-Balanced Wardrobe. Challenge: Can you spot the thrift store finds?

What A Joy's Real-Ly Simple Wardrobe Guide

On a serendipitous jaunt around the Internet, I stumbled across quite a boon: Real Simple Magazine's Essentials of a Well-Balanced Wardrobe. Like any person of the female persuasion, I already had a hankering for a slight wardrobe update, this list just helps reign me in and focus my spending on items that coordinate well together and with items I already own.

Although Real Simple's ideal demographic is someone with a career and a real income, my ever eco-friendly and money-thrift nature first led me to my own closet to see what goodies were hiding out in there, and then on a roadtrip to the nearest metropolitan spread of Goodwills, Salvation Armies, and generic thrift stores. This method may have taken a little extra gas money and a little extra patience scouring racks of donated clothing, but it sure made up for it in the money I saved and the thrill of spotting a great find. Not to mention, I wasn't limited to the hottest and latest but often hideous fashion trends department stores carry. At a thrift store, I'm able to shop for a style that not only appeals to my personal fashion sense, but also suits my body type and is age appropriate. (I hate being twenty-something - too old for the Juniors section but still feeling too young for the Misses section!)

I've already directed my mother and my sister to try out this guide too! And feel free to edit down the list to only the items you know you would wear. To be honest, I don't quite have any desire or any reason to own a pair of velvet pants as Real Simple suggests. And the idea of wearing a bold patterned sweater instantly causes me to crave Jell-O pudding and do Bill Cosby impersonations! Go ahead and make the list your own!

With all of that said, stayed tuned for Friday's post which exhibits a quirky yet functional way to always know the perfect outfit to wear! And I'll include some sneak peaks at some of the cute new clothes I bought (and their unbelievable purchase price)!